Elementary, junior high, and secondary schools.

(a) Except as provided in (e) of this section, an elementary school consists of grades kindergarten through grade eight or any appropriate combination of grades within this range.

(b) A secondary school consists of grades seven through 12 or any appropriate combination of grades within this range. The establishment of one or two grades beyond the 12th grade is optional with the governing body of the school district.

(c) Grades seven through eight, nine, and ten or any appropriate combination of grades within this range may be organized as a junior high school.

(d) This section does not prevent a high school from issuing a diploma to a student who has completed the 12th grade.

(e) In addition to the grades enumerated in (a) of this section, an elementary school consists of an early education program approved or supervised by the department under AS 14.07.020 (a)(8), including a program operated by a head start agency as a head start program under 42 U.S.C. 9831 — 9852c.